Welcome to NYC, Fang
by Polodo
Summary: Fang's finally been driven crazy by the Flock. It's too much for him, so he runs off away from them. What happens when he feels remorse. Can he get back before they leave? Twisted storyline from The Angel Experiment. One-shot. Rated t because of 1 scene.


**Hello and Happy Thanksgiving and all that jazz. Here be m newest (and first!) one-shot. And songfic! Okay, the point behind this one (if you didn't read the summary) is what if Fang _was _driven away from the Flock out of insanity; what if he realizes he's an idiot for doing so; what if he can't get them back? All this and a little more in this one-shot.**

**P.S. It was set in The Angel Experiment right when they fall asleep. Fang took the last watch, whenever those times are.**

**EDIT: Noticed a few mistakes, decided to fix them. If you have already read it, sorry.  
**_**

* * *

Got to get away from here...  
Got to get away from all these thinkers... drinking up my thoughts again  
**_

I sat in my tree, trying to catch some zzz's half-heartedly. Of course, I went through what had happened today. So far, after rescuing Angel from Itex, we had flown all the way over to New York to see the Taylor Twins live in concert. Man, I hated that band.

My life just wasn't getting any better. We had at least had been able to stay in one place at the E-house. Now we were forced out of there by Erasers, had Angel get kidnapped and what else? I had to deal with a week of Nudge! Nobody but Nudge! That was worse than going to Hell and back. I thought things couldn't get worse, but they did. Max had a brain attack thing and now she's relying on me to be back-up! Sheesh! I just have the worst of luck.

Thinking about the negative, I found myself thinking about how I was separate from the Flock. For instance, everyone just is all talkative and stuff all the time and I'm just the guy to turn to if you had a bad day, or if Max wasn't around. Sure, I had fun sometimes with the Flock, but I just felt left out from it. It was like being an outcast from an outcast colony.

Then I thought to myself, _Why should I even be staying with the Flock? There's no point staying somewhere where you're not needed. _

_**Got to get away from here...  
Got to get away from all these choosers, losers... all my best of friends **_

The more I thought about it, the more I thought of how right I was to think that. I mean, when I'm with the Flock, I have to keep everything in; be a good example for the kids. And what happens? Nothing. I'm just the person there that has no feelings. Well guess what? I'm. Sick. Of. It.

There was only one reason I could think of for staying with the Flock and that was they were the only half-sane people I knew. A decent reason, I guess, but I was still sick of them. It was pointless to try to talk me out of it. I mean really, do you know what happens to people who try to reason with me? They end up with a few broken bones.

Of course, I had no experience with the outside world at all, but, to me, it couldn't be worse than the School. I'm positive that nothing could be worse than the school. And, by the way things are currently going for me, the Flock wasn't that hard to top either.

So I just sat there against the tree, thinking about what would happen in my free time if I got away from the flock. It seemed so fun that I almost thought it was real. It went a little something like this:_**  
**_

_**Sit back New York City  
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty  
When the rain comes you fall up again...**_

_I soared around at the top of New York City's tallest skyscrapers, having myself feel freer than ever before. I actually let out a laugh at my happiness, despite myself, but I didn't care if anyone heard me. Considering the craziness of New York, they probably thought of it just as a weird thought and shrugged it off._

_I landed at the top of the sky of the aforementioned skyscraper. It started to drizzle, but that did nothing to dampen my happiness. It actually gave the city an even better look. I felt the freedom of choosing my own path and getting away from the flock. I was so happy that I almost thanked the Whitecoats for the wings. Almost._

_I took off again and flew all around the city, checking every place out and not caring about the whole 'Saving the World' mantra. I swear, it was a dream come true._

_**Sunny... You are a part of me  
Sunny... You are the heart of me  
**_

_It started to rain a little harder, so I flew up above the clouds. I found a glowing sun starting to set, casting beautiful color above the bleaker yet still great looking setting below. I flew around up there, enjoying myself as much as a person who knew that today was the last day they'd live, so they waste it all on fun. Well, not waste, but use. You get the idea._

_I felt the glow on the inside of the true happiness. It made me smile even more._

_Eventually, I came down below the clouds and went to a worn down apartment building in the Brooklyn section of the city. I flew in the open third story window to my make-shift room. Hey, I was a man of simple needs, and this was free. I munched on the canned Spaghetti-O's that I got from pick-pocketing someone. _

_This,_ _I thought to myself. __Is the closest I'll ever get to heaven. And it's pretty damn close!_

_To me, I was a kid in a candy shop. To me, this was the stuff that dreams were made of. To me, this was all I ever wanted and needed. This was it.  
_

_**Got to get away from here...  
Got to get away from all these people who need people... You know it really makes me sick**_

I shook out of my trance of my happy days of if I left the flock. But now I needed to get out of this place. That simple daydream made it impossible to stay with the Flock. I mean, they need the Flock, while I could just leave and be perfectly fine.

They've got Max, so they're alright. She's everything they need, and everything she isn't, Iggy can take. Together, they can lead the Flock just fine. They won't even care that I'm gone. Sure, they might have some emotional bonds and stuff like that, but that will be like an even bigger test to them. So I would actually be doing them favors.

I felt a little tug on myself wanting to stay with the Flock and be a role-model to them, but I automatically turned on myself for even thinking that. I don't need them at all, so why am I getting this strange feeling that somethings going to go wrong.

Of course, that feeling was also shut down quickly. After shoving it through my skull, I just sat there, contemplating my escape from the Flock. I only had limited time to come up with, seeing as my shift was coming near an end.

_**Got to get away from here...  
Got to get away from expectations, recreations, just for the sake of it  
**_

I got up and slowly climbed down my tree. I checked if the coast was clear, then ran for it. Once again I found myself thinking of the consequences, but, instead of shutting them down, I turned them to good consequences. Take that, conscience!

I slowly crawled outside of the park, then booked it, without forgetting some of the supplies from the backpack. Hey, I needed some, didn't I. Anyways, I took in New York in the night. It was beautiful and I was worry-free, so I guess you could say I was truly happy. It wasn't as I imagined but it was still worth getting away from my family.

_Family._

Oi. The pessimist inside of me is getting to me again. It's been happening ever since the beginning of this plan o' mine. So? I'm happy. I'm free. Free of expectations; free of duties; free of setbacks; free of everything.

But even there I couldn't fool myself. I just did a big mistake apparently. Ha. I just gotcha there, didn't I? I did still feel a little regret, but nothing a little freedom can't get rid of.

I continue walking down the street that we were on. Taking it in, I pass a section of street covered with hobos. They had it as rough as I did, so I go to that spot. As I sit down, I put down the supplies from the backpack into a cluster and claim the spot.

_Now it's time to enjoy New York._

_**Sit back New York City  
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty  
When the rain comes you fall up again...**_

Turns out, New York isn't perfect. But, hey, nothing ever is.

Well, the hobos _did_ leave me alone. Apparently, even they knew there was something about me that told you to stay away. Maybe I have an aura around me that screams 'Dangerous! Keep away if you love yourself!' Who knows.

Anyway, after claiming my spot. I decided to look around more. Yes, I left some stuff there. How else would they know it was mine before they get socked.

When I looked around, I turned a corner and saw a strip mall. For those perverted idiots, it a line-up of stores unconnected internally, not what you'd think from the name.

I also saw the Empire State Building a few blocks away. So after turning to a dead end alley, I took a running start, uncurled my wings, and flew up as high as my enhanced lungs allow. I then started to fly towards it.

I looked down as I flew, and I was right. New York was a beautiful place from a bird's eye view. It really was. I almost got to the spire on the top when it started raining. Hard. Thunder boomed everywhere, getting me scared. Sure enough, my wings started to give.

I started to become frantic as they became harder and harder to move. With one last push, I made it to the viewing area of the building. After that, I ran toward a shaded spot and curled in my wings, hopefully drying them with my body heat.  
_  
This is a sign. I need to return to the Flock._ Well guess what, it's impossible to at the moment, so this sucks.

_**SUNNY... You are a part of me  
SUNNY... You are the heart of me**_

A short break opened in the rain. Taking the small chance that just opened in front of me, I bolt towards the alley I was stationed. Unfortunately, guess what? Flying made me lose track of where I put my stuff.

Well, this stinks. I'm running as fast as I can to get my stuff. I look up at the sky to see where I'm going, but it's still in complete turmoil. Why did I look to the sky... ya, I have no clue. Just thought I'd get lucky or something.

I turn a corner and find a park; not the park the Flock is staying at, granted, but I did pass it when looking down flying. Now, if only I could remember how I got back...

Using my new-found knowledge, I hung a left at the next turn. It took me to the alley way I was looking for. Meanwhile, I felt warmth on my back. I turned around to see the sun rising through the clouds. This was not good. This meant that my shift was ending. It also meant:  
_  
There is no time left. The Flock is leaving soon. Very soon._

_**-Instrument Solo & Heys-**_

I bolted through the drizzle, watching the sun to make sure that it didn't get too high on me. If it did, it wouldn't matter if I found the park or not. It would become too late.

The false alarm of the drizzle gave way as it came out into pouring rain. I tried to see my hands in front of me, but it was almost impossible. I ran as fast as I could into the direction I thought was where the Flock was. During all this, I was screaming in my head, _PLEASE DON'T BE LATE!!! PLEASE!!!!!_

I found a street corner that was near where the Flock landed. I knew I was getting closer so I sprung my wings out and flew into the air. Now that's an overstatement. More like I hovered 15 feet in the air for five seconds and crashed on my face.

Now I have to find the Flock. If I don't, I won't be able to catch up with them, period. Man, all these reasons and all this guilt is piling up on me. I should have never even thought of the idea of running off. Now it looks like I'll pay.

The rain stopped again, this time for good. When I tried to see how far the sun had gone up, I was petrified. It was well over the horizon. With all the franticity and the stuff on my mind, I had wasted way too much time, and I had lost my dear Flock.

I thought about new hope in the Big Apple, but nothing was happening. Even though the sun should've brought high hopes, it brought despair from the logic that came with it.

By now, the Flock would've woken up. By now, they'd realize that he had disappeared. The Voice of Max would've told them to move on, most probably. By now, they'd be long gone. By now, it wouldn't matter._ I wished the Flock out of my life, and it came true. I am the worst. I am an idiot.  
_  
With the new realization, I just walked home. To my new home. My home consisting of a few possessions and a square of dirt. Now I had it all, and lost it all.

_Time to say good-bye._

_**Sit back New York City  
You're not cute but you're oh so pretty  
When the rain falls you come up again**_

I was still in a numb understanding state when I reached my possessions. If you don't know what losing everything you cared about all in less than 12 hours feels like, it's like hypothermia. You just go into shock, then into extreme pain. Then you become despondent, like death. I was still in shock, but I knew how things like this turned out, so I prepared myself.

I felt myself release all of my anger onto the brick structure beside me. The skin gave no resistance to the stone-like substance and blood seeped out. I could barely feel the pain over all the emotional turmoil.

Eventually, I calmed myself down and just accepted the fact that I wasn't apart of the Flock's lives anymore. No longer Max's trusted companion, no longer Iggy's best friend and the little three Flockie's role model of toughness (well, actually, that would be Max, but I was up there).

I just sat there and gathered up all of the possessions I had taken and put them into the large sheet of cloth which was serving as a blanket, and turned it into a hobo bundle. I checked the time on one of the bank signs. 8:30. Definitely too late. I turned to the hobos that were in my alley. None were awake.

I turned around to leave when I heard one of them mutter, "_Wait..._"

_**Sit back New York City friend...**_

The hobo at the end of the line was muttering in his sleep. Apparently they were having a bad dream. They muttered, "_Please. Don't go. You're my last hope. Don't leave me now. Please..._"

I looked at him in awe. I imagined myself as the supposed turner-downer person in their dream. I saw myself as the hobo, too. It was weird. It was like I was split between the two as to which I was more like, but shared both sides of the guilt. I don't know how, but it just felt that way.

I punished myself even more for letting the Flock go, then headed into the main way of traffic.

_**Got to get away from here...  
Got to get away from what I'm thinking...I'm thinking...it's too much for anyone...**_

I bustled my way into the crowd, with no destination in mind. I wasn't even thinking of where I was walking at all. I was just thinking about the past two weeks. At the beginning of this time slot, I was resting comfortably in my bed at the E-House. Then we went on a roller-coaster known as Angel being kidnapped.

Now, instead of being mad at the enemy, I aimed my hatred of the Whitecoats at the Flock and put myself in a bind that I could never get out of. I bet that if anyone else had been in my shoes, they would've gone insane in seconds.

Either way, I just quietly bustled my way along the street with the tell-tale hobo pack over my shoulder. I finally started to pay attention to my surroundings. I was heading into the Grand Central Subway Station. Because I never wanted to know the claustrophobia of a subway, I shoved my way out of the flow and into the open.

And while I was bustling out of the flow, I crashed into another teenage boy. He looked at me with an annoyed looked, then noticed the hobo pack. He asked me, "What the heck happened to you?"

_**Got to get away from here...  
Got get away from what you're drinking... you're drinking...so I'll take another one...**_

I told the kid, "I made the biggest mistake of my life."

He replied by saying, "Running away from your family or something? By the sounds of it, they weren't staying for long, otherwise, we wouldn't be talking."

Dang, he's good. After that he questioned, "What happened?"

I told the story, except I discluded the Flock stuff. Can't be too careful; maybe the School made a kid version of Erasers. After apparently thinking about what happened, he concluded, "You acted too fast. Remember, thoughts control your destiny."

"How does that work?," Seriously, if I think I'll have a story written about my mistake, it'll happen?

"Simply, but it sounds complex:  
_  
Watch your thoughts, they become words._

_Watch your words, they become actions._

_Watch your actions, they become habits._

_Watch your habits, they become your character._

_Watch your character, it becomes your destiny."  
_  
I looked at him amazed, wondering how he got that philosophy right off the bat, and how surprisingly it fit. So, I asked, "How'd you pull that out of your head."

He laughed. "I got it off a poster in one of my school classes."

I laughed with him. "Good one. Got me going. What's your name?"

The boy smirked, "Just call me Namones."

"That's a weird name."

"It's not real. I'm not giving my name to all of the random strangers in this world, even if they are hobos who acted like idiots." He stopped then said, "What's your name?"

"Fang."

He rolled his eyes, but I looked him in the eye and said, "I'm serious."

Namones laughed and said, "Must've had some messed up parents, eh. But, anyway, Fang, Don't worry too much. What's past is past. You might meet up with your friends again. It's a world of possibilities."

If only he knew how screwed up my life really was. Before I could make another smart alec comment goodbye, he walked back into the crowd, probably to find his parents. Either way, his philosophy stuck:  
_  
"Your thoughts control your destiny." Man, oh so true. If only I had known sooner._

I sighed and went back to just walking around. Maybe there was hope, but I was still depressed. There was no way that Namones was gonna cure that, but he did stop infinite sorrow. I'll find a way to find them again.

* * *

**(Max's Side, 3rd Person)**

_-Dawn_  
Max woke up slowly that morning. She felt as though something was wrong, she just couldn't put her finger on it. Also, she didn't want to think about it; it was was too early in the morning and she knew she still had a lot of stress that she still had to endure.

She did a quick headcount of the Flock. _Angel, Gazzy, Nudge, Iggy..._**.** It was then that she realized the problem.

No Fang.

This made her realize why she felt something was wrong this morning. Fang didn't wake her up. There was no silent bird kid on the branch beside her. She suddenly felt distress. _Where is he? Did they take him, too? Why is this happening to me?_

Angel woke up next to Max in a haze, somehow sensing her brain's commotion even in her sleep. As she woke up, she saw Max in pain, and immediately went to comforting her. "What happened?"

"Fang. He's gone."

Angel felt a pang of guilt. She had overheard some of his thoughts to run away from the flock in her head, ut she didn't tell Max. She knew about her huge stress problem and decided that she'd keep it a secret. Without further hesitation, Angel starting crying, surprising Max.

Max asked, "Why are you crying; it's not like it's your fault that he's gone-"

"But it is!," Angel exclaimed, cutting her off. "I heard his thoughts all this time. He was sick of us. He didn't like our needs, and how he thought he was an uneeded person. I should've told you! But I thought that that would be selfish and didn't tell you so you'd be less stressed and-"

"It's alright. He'll be fine. Now don't worry at all, please. It's the best thing you can do at the moment, 'Kay?"

Angel sniffled, but agreed. The Flock had been waken up by the commotion that this caused (how could they not have, with Angel crying and yelling). Iggy was confused by the situation, until Angel sent him a mental image. He sighed and said, "So... no more Fangster?"

"No."

"Dang, I was hoping that he would help me point out some hotties in the mall..."

Max gave him an annoyed expression, then quirked a small smile. With that she got up. After a short time with a thoughtful expression, she said, "We're outta here."

Now this surprised the Flock greatly. There was murmurs going through that Max caught including, "Why? Didn't your Voice say here?" and, "So we're just gonna ditch Fang?" and even, "Where are we gonna go next?"

Max cleared her throat, stopping the event. "Okay, I know this may be psychotic sounding," ("No. Really!," Iggy jeered.) "But there is some reasoning behind it. If Fang's here, he can do this part of the mission by himself. Also, I don't want to stay here any longer than I have to. Two reasons: One being that Iggy's gonna have a headache here and be useless," ("Thanks!" Iggy said, slightly offended.) "And also, now this place has bad memories. It'll remind me of Fang, which'll in turn remind me of the School. Enough said. Okay, U & A."

The Flock obliged and bolted out into the sky. Max once again was in a deep pondering state. After a few minutes, she stated, "Okay! The Annoying, but Unfortunately Almighty, Voice says D.C. So go forth!" The Flock went forward with the commands.

As the Flock went flying, Iggy scooted his way over to beside Max. He then stated, "Without Fang, that means I'm the right-hand man?" Max nodded. "Good. That means I have a better shot."

"What the heck are you talking about?"

"You know, a little smoochie smoochie with ya?"

SMACK!

"OW! What was that for?"

"For being a little pig, you are. Don't even try."

"Fine. But by the way, you failed the Yodaspeak."

SMACK!

"Okay! Okay! I'm shutting up."

* * *

**I'm not good with sad endings. And also, I felt like having a little fun so I added Iggy's version of Miggy. Anyways happy Thanksgiving, again, and be thankful for what you have. Fang wasn't and look what happened to him. Good thing he's a common sense smartie in the books.**

**So anyways, R&R and all that jazz. Hope ya like it!  
**


End file.
